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it caused attention to be turned to the long neglected work of developing the immense resources of wealth in the yellow pine timber. Pearliington, in its present conditions of life and business, began in 1865, when Capt. John Poitevent came into position of a sawmill and began his wonderfully successful career in the lumber business.
He was joined in this enterprise in 1866 by Capt. J. A.
Farve who bought an interest in the mill. At the beginning these young men had but little means, but they had broad business views and unswerving faith in the largest possibilities of the lumber business. They were fertile in resources and wisely laid their plans for continued enlargement. The phenomenal success that has attended all their enterprises abundantly justifies the wisdom of their early views and plans. In twenty-five years they have grown from the management of a small sawmill to the ownership of the largest and perhaps the most valuable in the South. They have not only enlarged their business and amassed wealth, but have laid the foundation for prosperity to the entire town. Every line of business operated in Pearlington draws its support either directly or indirectly from the mammoth business of the Poitevent & Farve Lumber Company.
The mill plant of this enterprising company consist of two circular mills and one gang, having an aggregate daily capacity of 200,000 feet of lumber. They also have a planning mill of a very large capacity. These mills consume about 100,000 log each year. For many years the demand for logs was supplied, almost wholly, by raftman floating timber down Pearl river. This business is still carried on to a considerable extent. The principal supply, however, is from the extensive pine forest of St. Tammany and Washington parishes, La. about 100,000 acres of which are owned by Poitevent & Farve. The manifested farsightedness in the management of their lumber interest by purchasing several years ago that immense area of virgin forest, and by constructing a narrow gauge through it.
This road acts as a feeder for the mill plant. The logs are drawn by rail to the river and are then floated down to the mill sight. They are caught by an arrangement of piles and diverted into a canal, thence they are drawn by tugboats to the foot of the mill.
This log road gave birth to the East Louisiana Railroad.
It was converted in 1887 into a standard system and extended to Mandeville. By this enterprise Messrs. Poitevent & Farve largely increased their revenue, and contributed to the development of the country contiguous to the railroad.
Pearlington enjoys prominence on account of the extensive operations and great volume of trade of its sawmills. The